From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) :
third generation language
(3GL, "{high level language ") A language designed
to be easier for a human to understand, including things like
named variables. A fragment might be
let c = c + 2 * d
Fortran, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of this sort of
language. Most "modern" languages ({BASIC, C, C++) are
third generation. Most 3GLs support structured programming.
See also second generation language, fourth generation
language.
(1996-05-30)